Mets: Five of the worst memories during the Wilpon era

Public criticism of star players

In 2011 Fred Wilpon had some harsh criticism on three of his players in an issue of New York magazine. Not just any players, but they were towards Jose Reyes, David, Wright, and Carlos Beltran. Easily the three best players on his roster.

His comments made of Jose Reyes were based more on a future contract. Wilpon stated in the Jeffrey Toobin article:
“He thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money…He’s had everything wrong with him. He won’t get it.”

This was in reference to Carl Crawford receiving a seven-year contract from the Boston Red Sox worth one hundred forty-two million dollars. Now Reyes was and always be a fan favorite to the Flushings faithful so of course, that comment irked a few fans as it should have.

Next up was David Wright. In the article, Fred Wilpon states:
“a really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar,”

This comment came in Wrights’ seventh full season in the big leagues. Wright just came off five straight all-star appearances, two gold gloves, two silver slugger awards as well three top-ten MVP votings.

He was twenty years old at the time and was definitely making a case for being a superstar in this league but regardless if he was or was not you don’t make a comment like that about your best player.

His last comments were about Carlos Beltran:
“We had some schmuck in New York who paid him based on that one series. He’s sixty-five to seventy percent of what he was.”

Fred Wilpon was referring to himself when he was talking about who paid him and the one series he was referencing the 2004 NLCS against the Cardinals. That year Beltran hit eight home runs in the postseason and one stretch was five consecutive games. The Mets signed Beltran the very next offseason.

Reyes, Wright, and Beltran were the best players on the team and forever will be loved by Mets fans. Comments like these should never be said about players at their caliber especially publically.